With the Gale IRBM ring around Central Ailier currently receiving the Gale IIB update the HCS have announced a further update and the next generation programme. Gale IIC will continue on the work being carried out with the current update and will further improve silo protection and security and warhead penaids. The Gale III programme has also been announced, this will replace the current missiles around the middle of the next decade and possibly also include a naval version for use on the planned HCSN SSBNs.
The Army is to receive 150 new Tapir IFVs, the TRV-5G4-II features improved radios. Work has been cancelled on the next major Tapir version, the Tapir-H due to the budget cuts however work already done will be deployed on a smaller update, to be known as TRV-5G5 next year.
The Army has also ordered a further 20,000 AR-105 assault rifles, bringing the total in the HCS to 130,000. There is some way to go before the venerable AR-100 is replaced however as the HCS have around 8 million on the books...
A VLF radio station has begun operating in Central Micom, this is to be used to communicate with HCSN submarines (though there is only one old SSK at the moment). Attention is switching to an aerial communication system however due to the vulnerability of a static ground base. A land mobile station is also being looked at.
The 20 oldest Cosmos CC cruisers will receive a MLU next year. Some of these cruisers are now 10 years old and starting to show their age. As well as refurbishment and replacement of fatigued hull structure they will receive updates to tactical systems, shields and cloaking device to bring them up to the Cosmos SR standard.
The 20 surviving Molentic Tuul cruisers will also receive an update though not to GX standard, it is thought they will receive some GX technology but retain their older engines and armament. The update will be known as Molentic Tuul MT-B.
